Setting the Tone
with musical excellence
Since 1719, we have been perfecting the art of making music visible,
so that others can hear it.
Who are
we?
Breitkopf & Härtel is the oldest existing music publisher. For more than three centuries, the company has played a decisive role in shaping music history through the publication of works from a wide range of specialist fields, through music typesetting and engraving, and through its editorial decisions.
One of the earliest musical print publications was Schemelli’s Songbook in 1736. In the decades that followed, music increasingly emerged as the publisher’s central focus. By the 19th century, this was reflected not only in first editions of composers who are still renowned today, but also in the establishment of the company’s own piano factory.
Of particular importance is Breitkopf & Härtel’s key involvement in the first critical complete editions. A pioneering achievement in this field was the complete edition of the Bach Society, followed by editions of works by Handel, Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Robert Schumann, Berlioz, and Schubert. These publications marked the beginning of scholarly engagement with musical sources—work that continues to form the essential foundation of our editions bearing the Urtext logo to this day.
Toward the end of the 19th century, the major publication series—Score Library, Orchestra Library, and Choral Library—were established. They remain in existence today and are continuously expanded with new repertoire. By around 1900, the catalog already comprised more than 100,000 titles available for delivery.
Today, around 60 dedicated employees work across three locations—Taunusstein, Wiesbaden, and Leipzig—in nine departments to produce, promote, distribute, and provide worldwide support for our high-quality editions. We operate as an independent publishing house, enjoy complete freedom in shaping our program, and take pride in offering the largest existing orchestral catalog for sale and rental, alongside numerous additional program areas.
How do
we work?
Thanks to our strong connections with key institutions worldwide and our close collaboration with scholars and researchers as well as musicians, we produce sheet music editions and books that reflect the latest state of research while taking different performance conditions into account.
The quality of our products is our driving force. Care takes precedence over quantity— and yet, every day we do our very best to supply you promptly with all available performance materials.
What sets
us apart?
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Our tradition provides decades of experience—yet it is not something we rest on. We continuously work to adapt new editions to current needs while further developing works from our backlist. We take your feedback seriously; it informs our work every day and directly contributes to the ongoing improvement of our editions.
Expertise, approachability, and—last but not least—a genuine passion for our sheet music editions and books are always at the heart of what we do.
Moments that shaped music history
curated, not chronological
Turning points. New beginnings. Sound traces.
The invention of music printing
Breitkopf developed the first system of movable music type—a technical revolution that made precise, efficient, and widely accessible music printing possible.
The move to engraved music
With the introduction of copperplate engraving, Breitkopf set new standards for precision and readability—laying the foundation for the dissemination of major orchestral works.
Defining publishing partnerships
Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Wagner were disseminated internationally through Breitkopf, leaving a lasting imprint on Europe’s musical heritage.
Scholarly complete editions
With critical editions such as the Bach and Mozart editions, Breitkopf set the international benchmark for musicological accuracy.
The first thematic music catalog (1762)
With the first printed thematic catalog, Breitkopf introduced a new tool in music history: works became identifiable, comparable, and discoverable on an international scale.
A European music network
Breitkopf connected composers, musicians, courts, and chapels across national borders—one of Europe’s first fully functioning music networks.
Beethoven’s international reach
Breitkopf played a pivotal role in disseminating Beethoven’s works across Europe—an enduring contribution that shaped the global understanding and impact of his oeuvre.
Standards of Modern Score Production
Architecture, bar layout, engraving aesthetics: In the 19th century, Breitkopf developed the score production standards that are still recognized worldwide today.
300 Years of Publishing Culture
Music. Knowledge. Contemporary History.
Breitkopf & Härtel
300 Years of European Musico-Cultural History
Edited and commented by Thomas Frenzel
A Journey Through 300 Years of Publishing-House History
How to get 300 years of a company’s history, combined with an equally long period of music and cultural history, between two book covers in a sophisticated and sensible way? How to select from the nearly incalculable quantity of material, how to separate essentials from what is less important? The start of the narrative is easy to find in the events of January 1719, though not so, where and when a break or even a turning point along its course ought to be made. During the last three years, our editor Thomas Frenzel has been confronted daily with such daunting questions.
The result is not just a chronicle or publishing-house history. You will rather be granted a keyhole glimpse, and you will be taken on a journey through 300 years of European music and cultural history. Illustrated is the formation of the entire music publishing industry as well as the emergence of Leipzig as a city of music and the “center of the world book trade,” together with the fact that Breitkopf & Härtel significantly contributed to both developments.
The highest standards of content, paper, printing, and binding emphasize the intrinsic value of this Breitkopf & Härtel production – unique in 300 years.
- 504 pages in full color printing
- Chronicle of the firm’s important events
- Essays on selected topics
- Historical visual and textual documents, anecdotes and all sorts of curiosities
- High-quality linen covers with dust jacket
- About 620 illustrationsn